St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-05-01
TIE SOCIAL WORLD.

VI. Il
TIE SOCIAL WORLD.
4 comparison between the English and
French nations in regard to the bearing OF
gentlemen toward ladies is brought out as
the startling result OF close observation in
a recent letter of Mrs. John Sherwood to
the New FORK World. She says:
1t is curious to notice the difference in OPP
tioual civility Oh the two sides Of the channel.
\ Freuchman always lifts his hat on entering
q railway carriage if ladies are in it; he takes
it Off us ne leaves them. An Englishman
rarely takes Off his hat unless the princess is
passing, or he meets an acquaintance. He
sits with his hat on in the house of commons,
in the reGdiug-room of u hoIei when ladies
are present. IN his club, where he is privi-
legged TO SILK But in his own house
there is no host so polite as an English
man, unless it is an American, and in
a friends parlor they all have, men
and women, ''politesSe" which we might
copy. They speak without an introduction
the roof is an introduction. And as showing
how much fashion and custom have to do
with what even the most reserved people
conclude should be done, the English lady,
who will not walk alone in the park, will go
TO dinner by the full light OF summer sun,
in crowded London in low neck and da-
monds, in that singulary open and exposed
carriage known as hanson. Thus what we
would shun US very public I'M
reserved sort of fashion, the re-
served Englishwoman does in London, while
she smiles if she sees a lady alone in Ylc-
toria in Hyde park, and would consider her.
self an improper person if she asked gen.
tlemau to drive out with her alone in her vic
toIia.-a thing considered proper enough in
America. Etiquette is curious and arbri-
trary thing, and differs in every country.
All American gentleman does not smoke
while driving with his wife in the park here,
but an English gentleman does; il is not con-
sidered bad manners.
~
Now as one comes farther west on this
continent, etiquette becomes more and less
arbitrary. With respect to barring the head,
the biggest boor would feel ashamed ii he
did not raise his hat upon meeting lady
acquaintance, or gentleman acquaintance
accompanied by lady, Oh the street, but
when il comes TO entering a railway carriage
the national custom is to leave the hat
upon the Uranium. whether ladies are in
the car or not. unless the mercury should
have risen to a melting point. In the read
ing room of the hotel Northwesteners are
like the English, but in the club no gentle
man would sit with head uncovered while
lady was present, and no gentleman will
smoke in a lady's presence, or while walk
ing with lady.
~
But there are a few things in which Ell
ouette is very lax and inconsistent. Upon
the street pavement the gentleman should
always give the lady the inside of the side
walk in passing, so the books say. but does
he? Yet q gentleman eScorting lady i'll
Variably takes the outside, notwithstanding
that the lady should always cling to the
left arm, as the right should be used fol
10
of protection, and Minnesotans are as deX-
ferrous with one arm as the other, and
native politenesS more than makes up fol
stringent etiquette.
-
Passing down Third street not long ago a
contrast was noticed too easily There
were two young gentlemen smoking Oh
their way up the street. Both passed a
lady. One. with Unborn politeness,
took his cigar from between his
teeth. and was careful not to emit
any smoke while the lady was passing; the
other went on smoking all the same, puff
ing dense Volumes some OF which the lady
caught in her face.
The difference between gentlemen is also
easily apparent upon street cars. One
gentleman surrenders his seat with pleas
ant Take this seat, lady," while another
sits like stone as much as to say. 81 want
a rest just as we'll as you"
AFTER MUCR EXPECTATION.
The event of most prominence of the
past week was the german given at the
RYAN last Monday evening. 1t was given
under the auspices Of several of the most
prominent young sOriety men of this city
.. f,,V. hoo,
elaborate. Such a profusion of flowers
made the ladies' ordinary, where the ger
man took place. a marvel of floral beauty
and fragrance, and to the inspiring strains
of Seibert's orchestra, which was stationed
in corner, were the graceful and varied
figures danced. The fayors distributed
were very beautiful, and good collation.
was served in the parlors. Mr.. and Mrs.
Frank Newell led and Mesdames w. r..
Merriam, E. j. Frost, A. E. Bates and
Fred DriscOll assisted in receiving and en-
tertaning the guests. The committee CT
arrangements, to which the credit of the
successful affair is due, consisted of Messrs.
George J. Bigelow, John w. Riddle and
John \. Jackson. Among the dancers
were:
Mr.. and Mrs. f. l. Frost. Mr.. and Mrs.
Frank Newell, Mr.. and Mrs. w. H. Lghtner,
D.
Milton Grggs. Mr.. and Mrs. John w. Mer-
riam, Mr.. and Mrs. Fred Driscoll,
Misses Auerbach, Bgeow, Flandrau,
Hammond. Rice, Mann. the Misses
Dean, Miss Wilson, of Minneapolis; Miss
HueSted, of Peekskil, n. Y; Miss Ruth Flan-
drau, of Louisville, KY; Miss Sexias, of
Greenwich, Conn.,, and Misses Ruger and
johnson, of Fort Smelling, and Messrs. Bige-
low Jackson, Peet, Rice, Newport, Gordon,
Cutchen, Banning, Jaggard, Riddle, Hay,
BIikely and Armstrong, and Lieuts. Ahern
and Biddle.
CARDS AT MRS. DRIsCoLL's.
Mrs. Fred Drscoll, ST., of Summit ave-
nue., gave progressive euchre party Thurs
day evening. A. ii. Wilder secured the
head prize and lone hand. George r. Finch
ia progressive, Mr.. and Mrs. George II.
KS%ney the mystic prizes, Mrs. j. Hanna
ford the lone hand. Mrs. Moore the head
prize. and Mrs. Bates the progressive. At
the tables sat.